The present invention generally relates to the electronic packaging technology, and is particularly directed to printed circuit board assemblies, attached faceplates, and printed circuit board insertion and extraction and latching means associated therewith.
The electronics packaging industry has been revolutionized with the advent of the printed circuit board. By most accounts, electrically conductive path etching techniques, miniaturization of electronic components, and multi-layer printed circuit board techniques have had a profound affect on the industry by enabling families of electronic functions to be placed on a single circuit board. Further, printed circuit boards themselves may be mechanically grouped together by slidably inserting a multiplicity of such boards into rigid housing frames, the overall purpose of which is to provide a package which may perform an entire system function.
It is well known in the art that early vintage "circuit packs", i.e. printed circuit board assemblies, included full metal or plastic faceplates rigidly affixed to the circuit board to provide a mechanical protective cover which prevented foreign objects such as wire or tools from being inadvertently projected into the circuitry. This full faceplate concept proved to be difficult to use, particularly in effecting a rapid removal of the boards, and was abandoned in favor of finger-operated insertion and extraction means mounted to the circuit board. This insertion/extraction mechanism enabled a repairman or operator to easily insert or extract the circuit pack with minimum physical force, although the protective qualities the older full faceplates were lost. The art now comprises of various single or double lever finger-operated insertion extraction means in addition to various other complicated cam-operated mechanisms.
Heretofore, no effort or attempt has been made in the prior art to combine all the advantages of a full faceplate together with the ease of board removal and handling associated with finger operated insertion/extraction means.